Car-coupling.



. J. REGAN.

CAB COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIZ. 1914.

Patented July 27, 1915.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0..WASH|NGTON. D- C.

main Tiers PATNT WILLIAM J. sw m, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR To THE McCONWAY & TORLEY COMPANY, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or PENN- sYLvANIA.

GAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27, I915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. REGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car- Couplers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable other skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the construction of car couplers in general and is applicable to all couplers where an adjustment thereof may become necessary in service to compensate for drooping or sagging of the coupler incident to wear of tires, settling of springs or other causes; but the invention is more especially directed to the compensation for such defects where they occur in short shank pivoted couplers, commonly termed tender Or locomotive couplers, wherein an extended support forward of the pivot is desirable.

To this end my invention, generally stated, involves the combination with a coupler and its shank,of a pivot pin for the coupler, a. pocket member for receiving the coupler shank, said pocket having a recess in its bottom in advance of the pivot, and a removable supporting device adapted to enter and span said recess and to engage said coupler shank, whereby the height of the coupler may be adjusted vertically with respect to the pocket member.

There are other features of invention involving special elemental constructions and particular combinations of elements, all as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the drawing of a tender coupler chosen for the purpose of illustrating my invention,

the scope whereof is pointed out in the claim, Figure l is a plan view of a coupler embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a view showing the coupler bracket and pocket member in horizontal section, and the coupler and its shank in plan; Fig. 3 i a view showing the bracket and pocket member and the coupler support in vertical section, and the coupler and its shank in side elevation; Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line H, Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the bracket and pocket member.

Like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more fully, so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, 1 indicatesthe bracket whereby the coupler is connected with the 'pivotally connected with the pocket member and bracket.

The rear Wall of the pocketQ is preferably curved on the arc of a circle which is concentric with the pivot pin 8 and may be provided with recesses 2 for the reception of'a corresponding projection formed on the inner end of the coupler shank, while the sidewall of the pocket flare outwardly to permit lateral swinging of the coupler in vcurving.

Forward of the openings in the pocket for the reception of pivot pin 3, and in the bottom wall of the pocket, is a recess or opening for the reception of a coupler supporting device 4:. This recess in the pocket 2 is preferably formed by and between two oppositely disposed forwardly extending members or arms 5, that are preferably provided with countersunk seats 5 for the reception of the ends of a reversible coupler supporting member 4, the countersinking of said members 5 being a simple and effective means for preventing the displacement of said support 4: when the coupler shank is in place in the pocket 2, and the space between the forwardly extending arms 5 constituting a recess which accommodates the central or thicker portion of the support 4 when the coupler is in its lowest position of vertical adjustment.

4 indicates a detachable and reversible coupler supporting device one side of which, intermediate of its ends, is formed with a vertically extending projection or portion 4 which, when in the position in the pocket shown in Fig. 4, will occupy the space between the arms or extensions 5, the ends of the support 4: at the same time occupying inner wall of the pocket 2 as will relieve the pivot pin from bufling stresses. If desired the rear end of the coupler shank may be provided with a projection 7 which is adapted to enter the recesses 2 in the rear wall of the pocket 2.

The construction of the several elements of the device being such as hereinbeforc pointed out, the parts may be assembled for service by inserting the ends of the support 4 in the seats 5 of the forwardly extending arms or extensions 5, then inserting the shank 7 of the coupler into the pocket 2 and forcing it backwardly until the projection 7 enters the appropriate one of the recesses 52 in the rear wall of the pocket 2, and finally inserting the pivot pin 3 in the pin holes in the top and bottom walls of the pocket 2 and of the coupler shank 7.

When the coupler is first put in service and occupies its lowest vertical position with relation to the pocket member, the supporting device 4 is inserted in the recess between the extension members 5 with the projecting portion 4 extending downwardly, but in rearranging the coacting parts to elevate the coupler with respect to the pocket member 2 the member 4: is reversed in position so as to bring the portion 4"" uppermost.

lhe forward extensions 5 and the supporting member 4: bridging the space between them, together with the projection 7 on the rear end of the shank 7 which enters a recess 2 in the rear wall of the pocket, effectually prevent any tilting or sagging of the coupler, as will be readily appreciated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a device of the character described, the combination with a coupler having a shank, of a pocket member for receiving the shank of the coupler, said pocket member having a recess in its bottom for the reception of a supporting member which is adapted to engage the shank of said coupler and to span said recess, and a reversible shank supporting member which is removably seated in said pocket member, said supporting member being adapted to be assembled beneath said coupler shank in a plurality of relations with respect to said pocket member to there by vary the vertical position of the coupler, and said recess being formed between forwardly extending portions of the pocket member constituting means for preventing longitudinal displacement of said supporting member.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature,

in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM J. REGAN.

Witnesses:

ENOOH GEORGE, Jr., 7M. Rooms.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

